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Sayde Feeley, Anthony Sotto, & Olivia Das Gupta News Editors
Mr. Allen is a new teacher in the CTE Department. He teaches CAD, Project Lead The Way, and 3D Animation. He is also a boys’ baseball and girls’ softball coach. When not teaching, he enjoys watching NFL games, playing basketball and playing golf. In school, he finds the best part of his job to be establishing connections with other teachers and students. When asked about the new year, he said, “I’m just excited about learning the ways and the culture of Maine South and Hawk Nation.”
Ms. Borrelli is a new special education teacher. When Ms. Borrelli isn’t at school, she likes to spend time with her one-year-old son by getting some fresh air on walks, bike rides, and trips to the park. She also enjoys cooking and doing yoga when she has time to herself. She is most excited about getting into the swing of things during this school year. “I feel like I can already tell it’s a special place,” Ms. Borrelli said. “I think a lot of it is the people that are here, so I’ve enjoyed getting to know everyone.”
Ms. Collier joined the Social Science Department as a teacher of World Cultures and History of the Western World. She also enjoys being a part of the Equity Team. In her free time, she likes watching sports, dancing, and spending time with her friends. At school, she enjoys relating to students and being able to make learning fun through sharing laughs together and handing out candy. “I’m excited to continue to build those relationships and have a presence,” Ms. Collier said. “I’m excited to feel like a part of the community.”
Ms. Comiskey is a new teacher in the Science Department, teaching classes in both chemistry and biology. When she’s not teaching, she enjoys traveling and reading books. She also loves spending time with her family and new baby. When asked what her favorite thing is about teaching, she says she loves how each day is different and how she gets to spend those days building new relationships with her students. “I love watching my students have those ‘a-ha’ moments when everything that we are doing in class comes together,” Ms. Comiskey said.
Ms. Dayhoff is the new Assistant Principal of Student Supports for Team Red. She is excited to get back into the normalcy of school after the last couple years of health concerns and is hoping to become even more involved as the year progresses. Outside of school, Ms. Dayhoff enjoys spending time with her family and her black lab, Barkley. “I think the best part so far has been getting to know all of the new students and going to Friday night football games,” Ms. Dayhoff said. “Getting to know everyone in the building has been really awesome so far.”
Ms. Dietz, a Maine South alumna has rejoined the community as a school nurse. She loves being back in the building and the familiar atmosphere, as well as getting to experience the unpredictability of working in the health office. Outside of school, she is often busy taking care of her oneyear-old son and spending time with family and friends. “I’m excited to get to know everybody, the staff and the students,” Ms. Dietz said. “I graduated from Maine South, so I like being back and in a kind of different world.”
Ms. Hare is a new teacher in the Health and Wellness Department who previously taught at Maine West. She teaches both Health and Sophomore PE. Outside of school, she enjoys watching sports and traveling to see her three kids play basketball and football. “The students and the colleagues, being in this atmosphere— I just love it,” Ms. Hare said.
Ms. Hughes has joined the Student Services Department as a Career Coordinator. When she’s not in the building, Ms. Hughes likes to spend time with her two small children, reading nonfiction, and running. “I am loving the opportunity to meet with students and talk about their futures,” Ms. Hughes said.
Ms. Kainrath is a new special education teacher who teaches Fundamentals of Math 1. She coaches girls’ cross country and sponsors the Tea Club. Outside of school, she enjoys playing volleyball and soccer with her friends. She also loves the energetic atmosphere of Maine South. “I’m just really excited for the opportunity to just get to know the students here,” Ms. Kainrath said.
From left to right: Mr. Cray Allen, Ms. Briquelle Collier, Ms. Aimee Dayhoff, Ms. Joan Hare, & Ms. Maggie Hughes
From left to right: Ms. Jaime Borrelli, Ms. Kimi Comiskey, Ms. Allison Dietz, & Ms. Erin Kainrath
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Mr. Keehn is a new addition to the World Languages Department as a Spanish teacher. He is also involved in Spanish Club. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, traveling, working out, and exploring the city of Chicago. While in the building, he most enjoys getting to interact with students and staff. “I’m excited to learn new things and to get to know my students more and get to know my colleagues more,” he said.
Ms. Lambropoulos is a new school psychologist for Team White. She’s excited to experience a normal school year and see students in person. She enjoys working with other students and getting to know them on an individual level. Outside of school, she likes trampolining with her two daughters and binge watching true crime shows. She also plans on sponsoring the botany club. “Not that I have a ton of knowledge about botany, but as you take a look around my office, you can see I love plants,” Ms. Lambropolous said. “I love gardening, so I am hoping to find a group of students that want to do that in the courtyard in front of the school.”
Ms. Lunagariya joins the Math Department as a teacher for Precalculus and Math 1. For the new year, she is excited to be managing the South Asian Club as well as collaborating with her new team of teachers. When she’s not teaching, she loves to hang out, play board games and watch TV with friends and family, especially with her two kids. “The best part of teaching is working with the students I have,” said Ms. Lunagariya.
“I think that they’re really trying and respectful and willing to take on the challenge.”
Ms. Perkins just joined the Math Department this year. She is the JV girls’ golf coach and enjoys playing the sport outside of school with friends. She is currently in graduate school as well, so she has to keep up with homework and class work when she’s not teaching. Her favorite thing about teaching is seeing her students grow and building relationships with them, especially in the beginning of the year.
“I like to see where students go off to college,” she said. “I think it’s really fun to see them in high school, to see them grow, and to see where they want to head off to afterwards.”
Ms. Politi is a new Social Science teacher at Maine South. She teaches AP Psychology, and is also involved in the school’s Constitution Team. Outside of school, she is an avid reader who enjoys reading books about history, exploring the city of Chicago, and taking care of her cat, Phoebe. While at school, Ms. Politi enjoys interacting with students in class and is really looking forward to spring competitions for C-Team. “I’m really lucky to have some awesome students,” she said. “I really enjoy going to class every day; the students make my job very fun, so that’s been awesome.”
Ms. Schmitt is a new Life Skills Teacher in the Special Education Department, having previously taught at Maine West. She says her favorite things about teaching are getting to know the students and their different points of view. She also enjoys getting involved with the school and the extracurricular activities students participate in. “I love weeks like Homecoming Spirit week,” she said. “Any school spirit days are really fun for me.” When she’s not teaching, Ms. Schmitt enjoys cooking, working out, and watching TV.
Ms. Weaver is a new Spanish teacher joining the World Languages Department this year. She teaches Spanish 2 and Spanish 2 Accelerated, with plenty of experience from teaching at Maine West in previous years. “It’s pretty rewarding to see students go from not knowing a concept to mastering something,” she said. Ms. Weaver also enjoys building relationships with her students and see their different points of view. Outside of school, she likes to spend time with her kids and enjoys outdoor activities. She also likes to cook and read.
Mr. Wehman is a new teacher at Maine South who teaches several classes in the Special Education Department and coaches the Boys’ Basketball team. Outside the classroom, Mr. Wehman loves getting together with family members, exercising, and watching movies. He also loves getting to know the students and spending time with his colleagues. When asked his thoughts about the new year, Mr. Wehman said, “I think it’s going to be a really fun and rewarding year because of how busy it will be and how many things I have on my plate already.”
From left to right: Mr. Brian Keehn, Ms. Jayati Lunagariya, Ms. Leah Politi, & Ms. Maggie Weaver
From left to right: Ms. Christy Lambropoulos, Ms. Lindsay Perkins, Ms. Amelia Schmitt, & Mr. Colin Wehman
The retake policy has changed significantly in many academic departments this year. For most classes, this change involves teachers not offering retakes until the end of the semester and limiting the number of retakes available.
“Some courses and departments are piloting assessment policies that specify the number of retake opportunities for students,” Ms. Melissa Dudic, Associate Principal for Teaching and Learning, said.
Many classes in departments such as Math, Science, and World Languages now require students to wait until the end of the semester to retake an assessment. Others, including the Social Science Department, made smaller adjustments to the policy and have students complete some kind of
practice in order to retake within a set amount of time after the original assessment.
Although there are differences in how it is done, most departments have had some change in policy. For many, this includes a limit to the number of retakes, often only one.
“Our goal is to ensure that our assessment policies support student learning of the knowledge and skills of the class,” Ms. Dudic said. “If students are frequently retaking assessments, this can negatively impact both their stress levels and academic achievement.”
The unlimited retakes appeared to be leading to bad learning habits in students.
“Many teachers felt that our old retake policy was not helping students in their learning process,” math teacher Mr. Cheng Jin said.
Mr. Jin found that students may not have been absorbing the material.
“They would get their tests back and memorize the pods they did poorly on and then do the retake only a day or two later,” Mr. Jin said.
Teachers observed how students would not study for the first test, expecting to be able to retake it, and would inevitably fall behind on the current material.
“As students studied for the retake pods, they would often fall behind on the topics from the new chapter, and thus they get into an unfortunate cycle,” Mr. Jin said.
Many staff members contributed to implementing this new policy in different departments.
“I am very hopeful that this pilot will be effective and that both students and teachers will feel good about their learning outcomes and progress in the
semester,” Science Department Chair Ms. Dawn Biewenga said.
The main reason the new policy is believed to be effective is that it allows students to not get behind on current material while studying for a retake.
“By waiting until the end of the semester to prepare for a retake, students will not be bogged down with relearning old material while simultaneously trying to learn new material,” Ms. Biewenga said.
Additionally, it should help students to better learn and understand the material. This retake policy ‘pilot’ was put in place in most departments, and staff will be reflecting on changes seen throughout the year.
“Personally, I think our new policy should better prepare students for assessments as well as their future academic endeavors,” Mr. Jin said.
Emily Fudali Entertainment Writer
Every morning since the start of the 2022-2023 school year, students entering the school have had to scan their personal ID barcode on their school-issued card or on the Infinite Campus app at a designated scanning area to be able to enter the school.
“Scanning in is really for a couple of reasons: safety reasons, but also to greet kids and say ‘hi’ in the morning and to check in with them,” Associate Principal for Student and Family Services Ms. Kyleen Coia said.
In previous years, students have used their IDs to purchase lunches in the cafeteria, to rent or buy something from the bookstore, or to use the ARC. Therefore, augmenting the scan-in process was a fairly natural transition, despite some early difficulties.
“Now that we have automatic scanners, it’s getting better,” Ms. Coia said. “It’s becoming more efficient but everything takes a little time to get used to.”
The student body is encouraged to arrive at school a little earlier than when they usually do so they can have time to scan into the building and get to class before 8:30 a.m.
“I understand the purpose behind it and the intent, but it does cause a lot of traffic,” senior Maddie Beyer said. “It’s never directly affected me, but
I’ve known many people who have been late because of having to wait in line to scan.”
While students must scan into the building every morning, they do not need to scan out at the end of the day. As of right now, students only scan out of the building when they have an early dismissal, whether it be because of a free period or having to go somewhere.
“The scan is just a check that they do in fact have early dismissal,” Ms. Coia said.
The policy has become more broad, but it appears that not every space will require a scan-in.
“I do not know if we’ll ever be able to do lunches, only because there are so many kids in one spot at one time,” Ms. Coia said. “Ultimately, we would love to just for safety reasons. It’s good to know where everybody is in the building, but we are trying to respect everyone’s time, as we know that adding scan-ins would probably disrupt students in the lunch line.”
It also seems that the scans go a bit beyond basic safety purposes, and can help staff get a better sense of the community.
“It’s not just entering the building, but it’s having an adult see every single student or person that walks into the building and be able to get a pulse of how things are going,” Ms. Coia said.
The scanning-in process is
effective at keeping track of students, but nonetheless is something that will be a slow adjustment for everyone in the building.
“It hasn’t been awful, but I have had some bad experiences,” said senior Claire Mckitrick. “The second or third day of school, I was getting in through the athletic lot and the line went all the way to the Hamlin gate.
We weren’t counted as late because it was the first week of school, but if it was later in the year, it definitely would have been an issue.”
Issues of this extremity have seemed to thin out as the year has gone on, but it is still important for students to time their arrival to accommodate the few extra minutes, with their IDs already in hand.
The 2022-2023 school year has brought new changes to student parking. One of the most notable changes is that parking spaces are numbered this year.
Seniors filled out a parking form at the end of last year that determined whether or not they got a pass, and each student was assigned a specific parking space.
“I personally like it because it has become a set routine,” senior Hannah Lind said. “I don’t have to worry about being late and not finding a spot.”
While the assigned spaces have been helpful in the sense that students no longer have to find a spot every morning, it has caused some annoyance for students who discover
someone else in their spot.
“Having my spot taken affects my day because I have to drive all the way around the building to report it and I miss out on the start of class and miss vital information,” senior Macy Muellner said.
This year, students will receive a ticket for parking without a pass or parking in someone else’s spot. Any following violation will result in their vehicle being towed.
“Last year, a violator would receive two warnings before getting a parking ticket,” Student Resource Officer Carlos Panizo said. “That didn’t really do anything to stop people from parking in the lot without a parking permit, so this year there are no warning stickers.”
Another common complaint
amongst students is that there are currently only 374 spots available for student parking. The school hopes more will become available as construction projects are completed.
“Although I understand the logistics of it, as a senior who didn’t receive a parking pass and doesn’t live within walking distance, it’s really hard finding a ride to and from school,” senior Grace Durkop said.
The lack of spots has been broadly regarded as an inconvenience by many juniors and seniors, particularly by those involved in extracurricular activities and those who still drive to school and park off campus.
“It’s inconvenient to have to park three streets past Hamlin just to not get a ticket or get towed,” junior Daniel Duca said.
Some students without spots have taken to parking in the forest preserve across Dee, which has caused some concern.
“I’ve fielded several complaints from forest preserve patrons who aren’t able to use the parking lot anymore because it’s completely taken up by Maine South Students,” said Officer Panizo.
Forest reserve parking also raises concerns for student safety.
“The school doesn’t advise students to park in the forest preserve,” said Officer Panizo. “Crossing four lanes of traffic during busy morning and afternoon hours is dangerous.”
While the school and the city have made efforts to make crossing Dee safer, including school zone signs and traffic control, it is still discouraged.
feel pushed to take the highest level of courses that are offered. There is an unspoken understanding that accelerated courses are more “valuable.”
not. Not feeling comfortable in every AP class simply just means that that course isn’t really my specialty.
Madison Basquin Editor-In-ChiefAs people posted their schedules on their Snapchat stories or sent them to group chats at the end of summer, I learned a lot about what classes others are taking. Most people in each grade usually take the same few classes, with the exception of some personal electives, and usually around half takes the accelerated level of the courses and the other half takes the standard level.
At Maine South, there is a plethora of courses that include “AP” or “Accelerated” in the title. When you go to a school offering 88 accelerated, AP, or dual credit classes, you often
Having taken my fair share of higher-level courses, sometimes due to pressure applied by my parents, teachers, or peers, I would disagree.
Going into my junior year, I still cannot escape the ongoing class registration talk from my parents and counselor.
“You should take more AP classes, it will look good for college applications!”
“Why don’t you take APUSH? I’m sure you will do just fine!”
I am sure they mean well and just want me to push myself; however, they don’t quite understand what I am capable of. I understand which subjects I excel in and which ones I do
In my case, I have always been more of an English person, meaning I usually require some help when it comes to history or science. However, my parents, peers, and counselors were convinced that I should be taking AP Physics because I was decent at Accelerated Chemistry.
So, I listened. I was enrolled in the class like the majority of my friends and peers in my previous science classes. Once I walked into the classroom for the first time and received my first homework assignment, I realized that this class was a lot more difficult than I had anticipated. I wasn’t able to understand the material, even after reviewing the work time and time again. All of my friends had told me
to stick with it, but I know my limits. I made the decision to drop down to regular Physics 102, which is at a pace much more suited to my abilities.
I was tempted to feel embarrassed. I had “failed,” and I couldn’t handle the class: but that’s not true. I didn’t fail.
Dropping down to a regular level class does not reflect negatively on my intelligence. All it means is that I need to learn at a different pace than that of the class I had dropped—and I was unwilling to devote the amount of time that would have been necessary to meet my own expectations.
We are all different and the classes you take don’t determine your intelligence. Take the classes you want to take, despite pressure coming from others. It is your high school career; at the end of the day, it should be up to you.
STAYING INSIDE THE LINES Each student is now being assigned a specific parking space to ensure that only students who have passes can park. Anyone parked without a pass or in the wrong spot will be ticketed or towed.Everyone knows the importance of retaking tests, especially in AP and accelerated classroom climates. For many, retakes became a lifeline during times of borderline grades or strained mental health.
In recent years, most Maine South classes consistently offered retakes for most summative assignments. While it may have differed slightly with each course, the general idea was that you could retake what you wanted, when you wanted; however, this year, there is no longer a blanket school policy allowing unlimited summative retakes.
Individual departments and course teams have now implemented more restrictive policies that limit the number of retakes available to the student body and, in some cases, require that retakes only be taken at designated times in the semester.
The purpose of these new policies is to motivate students to put more time and effort into the first attempt at a summative to better reflect their learning and avoid the possibility of students falling behind. When students are constantly in the cycle of taking and retaking assessments, they are forced to focus on past units while also learning the new curriculum, which induces unnecessary stress for both the student and the teacher.
While a main goal of this implemen
tation was to reduce stress, many feel that it has only caused different stress for them and their peers. There are many circumstances in which external factors degrade academic performance, and a retake is an important fail-safe that al lows students to be assessed when they are in a better position to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding.
Understandably, many teachers can be frustrated by retakes. Associate Principal for Teaching and Learning, Ms. Melissa Dudic, noted that in prior years, students appeared to be abusing the retake policy.
“If students are frequently doing retake assessments, this can negatively impact both their levels of stress and academic achievement because they are expected to remediate previous content at the same time that they need to be keeping up with new content,” Ms. Dudic said.
However, teachers are not the only ones who share this opinion. Some students agree that the old retake policy made it so that students would fall into a never-ending cycle of retakes and that the change was necessary for academic improvement. Rather than spending classroom time focusing on studying and learning retake material, now they can put more time and focus into their present learning and understand the current material better.
According to Ms. Dudic, a big mo tivator for the change in retake policy would be the extent to which students seemed to rely on the retakes. The new policy may address this issue; however, it appears to neglect special circum stances. By limiting a student’s access to retakes, you are also limiting their opportunity to learn from mistakes.
The new policy fails to take into ac count individuals that may have serious conflicts preventing them from giving the appropriate attention to a summa tive. Some students may have relied too much on retakes; however, not all students abused the policy.
Instead of so severely limiting the opportunity for retakes, a more pru dent solution would be to increase the preparation a student must complete prior to a retake.
To be retake-eligible, there could be more stringent preparation required prior to the first summative. Possible requirements could include all formative assessments being turned in by the first testing date or end of unit, or students having evidence of effort being put into studying for the initial summative (note taking, study tools, office hours).
With these standards being put in place, it would prove that students are not intentionally taking advantage of retake policies, but rather only using them when truly needed.
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Madison Basquin
Elizabeth Handley
News Editors
Olivia Das Gupta Sayde Feeley
AJ Sotto
Jacob Mascort Campbell Micek Andjela Trkulja
Ava Jurek
Lilien Schirazi
Sofia Sclafani
Maggie Hershey
Caitlin Vengazo
Maggie Woods
Declan Colleran
Kyra Demeros
Thomas Hurley
Natalia Kowaleska
Cathy Tserendavaa Ceylan Yildiz
Adviser Mr. Stathakis
Mental health days are a relatively new concept that have become much more prominent in society in the past couple years.
As of August 2021, students in Illinois are allowed to take up to five mental health days per year. They will not be required to submit a doctor's note, but will still have to make up any work they may have missed.
Especially with stress from the pandemic, mental health days are vital to the well-being of students at Maine South.
For some, mental health days are fundamental to managing stress, but for others, they serve as an easy excuse to take a day off from school.
There are many benefits to mental health days, especially for overworked students who are nervous about taking a day off.
Throughout high school, there are various stress-inducing factors that
students experience on a day-to-day basis. For starters, many students are very frequently deprived of muchneeded sleep, whether it is because of homework, extracurricular activities, spending time with friends or family, or something completely different.
Sleep deprivation can lead to many problems, such as a short attention span, lack of motivation, and can even worsen symptoms of anxiety. Getting enough sleep helps relieve many of these symptoms.
Students are also constantly under pressure to become more involved in clubs and activities to add to their resumes while maintaining a healthy balance between school and their personal lives.
These sudden pressures come from teachers, peers, and parents, and can be come overwhelming over time.
The easiest possible solution for maintaining your sanity? Take a mental health day. Catch up on your lost hours of sleep, take a break, let go, exercise, and finish the things you’ve been procrastinating for a while.
Whether that be homework, chores, simple tasks, or self-care, taking a day off to put yourself first will be beneficial.
There is so much stress that comes from being a high school student, and sometimes, it doesn’t get as much attention as it deserves. Taking time for yourself and doing things that you want or need to do can be difficult when there is a math test you need to study for. Taking one day to do what you need to can help.
Despite the benefits, there are still disadvantages to taking mental health days. There is always the fear of missing out, whether that means class work or time spent with their peers. While it is a small inconve nience, working constantly without a break is not good for your mental, physical, or emotional health.
Taking a day off every once in a while will allow yourself to recharge, which outweighs all the cons of missing one day of class.
Emailing teachers in advance when you plan to take a mental health day can lower the stress of missing class and helps keep you up to date with any work completed while gone.
If you find that the workload of your classes is too much, another day could always be taken off.
Even if you do not suffer from anxiety or experience large amounts of stress, it’s always okay to take a break.
However, abusing mental health days is a risk, as missing out on class time will cause more missed work and lead to more stress.
Furthermore, if mental health days are abused by students, they could be taken away from the people who need them.
If any students find themselves stressed or anxious about anything and taking a mental health day doesn’t sound appealing for one reason or another, there is always the option of speaking to counselors or any trusted adults inside or outside of school.
Being a high school student can be incredibly difficult at times, and taking a step back from it all every once in a while can improve the overall well-being of students.
blame for this food going to waste. When students do not accurately follow instructions, it can be a recipe for disaster.
Eliza Goldwasser Commentary Writer
Many students see culinary as a break from prolonged periods of tedious writing assignments and challenging math problems. Here, students are encouraged to experiment with flavors, collaborate with others, and learn important fundamentals such as knife skills and how to properly use an oven.
Unfortunately, as these skills are practiced in a real kitchen environ ment, there is one significant draw back: food waste, which I saw firsthand last year as a culinary student.
Between burnt bruschetta and less-than-appetizing minestrone soup, a good portion of the food made in culinary was inedible. This is not entirely surprising; a crucial part of cooking is experimenting and learning from your mistakes.
Students shoulder some of the
However, when this waste occurs regularly, I am left to wonder if we can do more to prevent it in the future.
A factor leading to excessive food waste is the large portions of food made. Recipes often produced a dozen cookies or full plates of fried rice for two students.
This is unnecessary given that most of the time, students are not allowed to take meals out of the classroom.
Only foods that can be put in a plastic bag such as baked goods are allowed to be taken home.
Since I had Culinary 1 first period when I took the class last year, I found this policy very frustrating. Who wants to be eating teriyaki chicken bowls at 9:30 in the morning?
Additionally, as someone with various dietary restrictions, I was often unable to eat the food we made, causing the food to go to waste.
By creating more options, students with similar restrictions would be able
to enjoy the process and products, as much as everyone else.
One solution to food waste would be the creation of a compost system. This would provide an environmentally-friendly solution for food scraps.
Another effective idea would be to partner with an organization like The Love Fridge, which supplies resources to food-insecure families and communities through sidewalk food pantries.
For this, we could even increase
recipe sizes for more substantial donations.
This initiative would divert food that would otherwise be thrown away to people in need.
At Maine South, we are fortunate to have such hands-on experiences, and I certainly think that culinary is a great class to take for kids interested in cooking.
With some minor changes, the culinary program can reduce waste and help students enjoy the experience even more than they already do.
PHOTO BY NATALIA KOWALESKA
“Even if you do not suffer from anxiety or experience large amounts of stress, it’s okay to take a break.”KNEAD-TO-KNOW A student in 6th period Culinary 1 pulls his individual pizzas from the oven. These mini pizza portions will allow the students to produce less waste.
When you picture summer, images of kids splashing into pools, soaking up the sunshine, and laughing with their friends might pop into your head.
For some Maine South students, however, this picture-perfect summer is tainted by the summer homework they are assigned to complete for upcoming classes or clubs.
Students in Mock Trial, AP U.S History, and the Constitution Team all face the struggle of keeping up with their summer assignments while still taking advantage of summer opportunities and taking care of their other responsibilities.
Junior Charlotte King worked on AP U.S History and Mock Trial summer assignments. Her task for APUSH was to take notes on 140 pages of reading, as well as watch videos and fill out corresponding charts. King realized that she needed to balance her summer assignments with the traveling she was doing over the summer, so she created a plan for her work.
“I knew that I would be traveling around mid-July and I didn’t want to be stressed about [homework] on vacation,” King said. “Therefore, I did the bulk of my APUSH work in early July then finished it up the week before school started.”
“At the start of the summer, I planned for July to be my school work month, and because of this, I got to spend all of June and part of July with my friends,” she said.
This strat egy of creating a plan and sticking to it allowed King time to travel, have fun, and spend time with friends and family.
“For students who have to balance summer assignments with extracurriculars, I would say make sure you have a plan that you stick to and defined goals to keep in mind,” King said.
Some students, however, did not have as concrete of a plan, which caused struggles and stress about
summer assignments.
Junior Sofia Stojakovic was assigned similar AP U.S History work to King, but her work overwhelmed her because she procrastinated.
“Honestly, I waited until pretty much the end of the summer to even begin the work,” Stojakovic said.“I definitely regret that because the notes took so long, and I found myself staying up until 4 a.m. doing notes in the two weeks before school started just to finish them all.”
This method of completing summer work was stressful and overwhelming in the end, but Stojakovic was still able to spend the majority of her summer working as a lifeguard, attending swim practices, and spending time with friends.
Because Stojakovic’s summer was so full of extracurriculars, it seemed most convenient at first to push off her assignments until later, although she ended up regretting this decision.
“I was working around 40 hours a week in addition to swim practice, so I think it was easy for me to push it all off until the end,” Stojakovic said. “But in those two weeks before school, I was trying to juggle APUSH, lifeguarding, and practice six days a week. All of these combined exhausted me, but somehow I managed to do it.”
“I would tell anyone that’s going to have to balance summer assignments with extracurriculars to not wait un til the very end like I did,” she said. “It stressed me out so much, and I was so ex hausted from only sleeping two to three hours a night.”
Although King spent more of her summer doing homework, she saved herself from the stress of having to cram at the very end. Stojakovic gave herself more free time throughout the summer by pushing off her assignments, but this caused her anxiety and loss of sleep later on.
Sophomore Charlotte Chapman was in a different course but in a similar situation; she was balancing her Mock Trial assignments with fun summer activities.
Her task was to read through the 200-page Empire case, develop each side’s case theory, and brainstorm outlines for each witness, the case law, and evidence.
Although this work was optional, Chapman dove headfirst into tackling this assignment.
“We couldn’t start work for Mock Trial until July 15, since that’s when our Empire case was released,” Chapman said. “I started work right away on July 15, and we continued work until our first school year meeting.”
Even though there was a lot of work to be done, Chapman managed her time thoughtfully and still found ways to enjoy her summer vacation.
“I definitely feel like I was able to spend lots of time with friends and family this summer,” she said. “Even on days when I was busy, I could still always stop at home and see my sisters, or make quick plans with friends. While in past summers I had more free time, I was still able to relax and make fun memories.”
For some, it may be beneficial to change the scenery; sitting in a peaceful environment can help
someone get into the right mindset.
“It’s important to prioritize unique summer activities,” she said. “For example, you’ll be able to sit in the library and get work done all school year, but you won’t always be able to read your assigned book at the beach or collaborate with peers outside in the sun. Try and make summer work more enjoyable.”
Changing the environment they work in or putting a summery spin on how they work can inspire students to change the way they view summer homework.
Instead of it being a burden, summer homework can become an opportunity to try something new.
Summer comes and goes in a blink, but with a purposeful plan and a determined work ethic, you can balance summer assignments and allow time for fun activities.
“I would recommend trying to take advantage of every day of summer,” Chapman said. “It can be tempting to sit around at home, but when you are busy in the school year and feel like you don’t have enough hours in the day, you might regret that wasted time.”
“I would recommend trying to take advantage of every day of summer. Try and make summer work more enjoyable.”
-Charlotte Chapman (‘25)BY JOE DICOLA
Many siblings are constantly at war with one another. They may fight and disagree, but at the end of the day, coming together to support one another is crucial.
One of the positives to having an older sibling is that they pave the way for an easier transition into high school and someone to rely on in times of need.
Junior Defne Genc is the older sister of freshman Asya Genc. She has made sure that her sister knows where all of her classes are by walking her around the building.
“I don’t want her to be as stressed as I was with finding people and classes for freshman year,” Defne said.
The siblings wave to each other in the hallway and will sometimes stop to chat.
“Asya’s eaten lunch with me on several occasions, and a lot of my friends know her because of that,” Genc said. “Introducing your sister to your friends can sometimes be a little annoying, but I like it when they say 'hi’ to her.”
In addition, Defne believes that one of the perks of going to school with your sibling is the comfort of having someone to rely on.
“If one of us needs five bucks, the other can lend them the money,” she said. “Having her here is nice because I can meet up with her whenever she needs me for something or I need her.”
Defne has even influenced Asya
into joining some of the same clubs she is in. They are both members of the Environmental Club, which she says she enjoys more because her sister is there.
Oftentimes, watching a sibling participate in an activity leads one to decide that they would like to try it themselves.
Sophomore Kristyna Kubisova is a prime example of this. Now a varsity swimmer and diver, Kubisova has followed in her senior brother's footsteps.
Bart Kubis has been on Maine South’s swim team since he was a freshman. Meanwhile, their sister, junior Veronika Kubisova previously swam for Maine South and is a member of the Maine South Dance Company.
Kristyna Kubisova says that her siblings have inspired her with their dedication to their athletics.
“They encourage me with their enthusiasm because they are so accomplished and that makes me want to work harder,” Kristyna said. “Watching Bart swim and enjoy it so much really motivated me into trying swimming in the first place. When he wins awards, that makes me want to win awards. I also dive now, and I’m really glad that I am on the swim team.”
Older siblings normally know best, as sophomore Haley Placko, who has a senior sister Grace Placko, can confirm.
Some of Grace’s directions included where the A-wing and Fine Arts Department were, as well as how the A-wing works with all three floors.
This proved to be very helpful for Haley, especially when she was first navigating the building last year as a freshman.
“Without Grace’s help, I would’ve gotten lost a bunch of times,” Haley said. “She helped me feel more comfortable in the school and was an example of someone who knew what she was doing. If she could get used to the building, then so could I.”
Twins have the unique experience of going to school with a family member in their grade.
Sophomore Natalie Persivale attends school with her twin sister, Emily Persivale. Although the two aren’t involved in the same sports or enrolled in the same classes, Natalie Persivale says that it is nice to share general school life together.
“Emily and I know the same
people so we are always finding out stuff at the same time,” she said. "She knows about stuff that I don’t have to explain, which is fun when we want to talk about it together.”
High school is a time that involves many ups and downs; however, a person’s day could be made better when they have people on their side that will stick by them no matter what, such as a sibling would.
A good group of friends is beneficial, but having those in your own home empathize with what you’re going through can be even more reassuring.
“It’s nice to have someone go through school with you that also knows what’s going on at home,” Persivale said. “That means that there’s someone who understands you and will be there for you at all times.”
"I think the most important thing is giving it your best effort. Starting off well fresh man year really set me up for a successful experience. Also, high school has lots of ups and downs, but everyone gets through them and you’re never alone. High school is a time for you to start mold ing yourself into the student and person you would like to be one day."
"The most important thing to know is that it goes by quickly. I'm already in my junior year, and it feels like I was at freshman orientation yesterday. Some simple advice
I would give to freshmen is to get involved!
It is a great way to meet people and have fun. Soak up all of the great things about high school. You only get to do it once."
"I wish I used a planner when I was a freshman. I always guessed when things were due and always turned in my home work late. Having a planner will help you stay on schedule and remind you when you have tests, quizzes, practice, etc. That doesn't mean you can't have fun, hang out with your friends, and stay on top of your homework."
"My biggest piece of advice I would give to freshman and new students at Maine South is to join any club that sounds in teresting to you. Maine South truly has a club for everyone, and by joining them you are not only getting involved but also get ting the opportunity to meet students with similar interests and build a community within the school."
Tess Elliot
Features Writer
THREE PEAS IN A POD Senior Bart Kubis helps his younger sisters, junior Veronika Kubisova and sophomore Kristyna Kubisova, with their school work. The siblings have benefitted from mutual support throughout their high school experience.
Madison Gatz ('23), Hawkettes Dance Captain
Eliza Goldwasser ('25), Former Underclass Council Promoter
Jimmy Johnston ('24), Junior Class Council President
Loula Korovilas ('24), Junior Class Council Promoter
PHOTO BY LILIEN SCHIRAZI
Starting high school is a scary experience. Whether it’s making new friends, taking difficult classes, becoming involved, or even making it to class on time, everyone has challenges that worry them.
For immigrant students these challenges are in addition to getting accustomed to being in an entirely new country in a short period of time.
Sophomore student Jan Husmann moved here from Switzerland after being accepted through the American Field Service (AFS) Exchange Program.
AFS is an international program that aims to deliver intercultural experiences for youth all across the globe.
After being accepted, Husmann explains the lengthy process that resulted in his accommodations at Maine South.
“I never chose Maine South or Chicago,” Husmann said. “I never had the chance to choose anything but the country I wanted to go to, which means I could’ve ended up everywhere in the US. I made my application for an AFS Exchange program, got accepted, and AFSSwitzerland sent my profile and the documents to AFS-USA. They then sent the Introduction letter I wrote to every possible host family. One of the host families chose me to be a family member for a year, and because my host family lives close to Maine South, I now go to school here.”
Once at Maine South, Husmann was tasked with adjusting to a brand new environment, which he states was not nearly as challenging as many would think. This may be due to the
You Tube.
Husmann describes the change as no bigger than everyone’s changes from middle school to high school.
“Even though it’s my first time at this school, it’s not a bigger adjustment than changing from middle school to high school—just a different school, country, and language,” he said.
Maine South strives to make all students feel welcome; because of Husmann’s involvement in the Symphonic and Marching bands, he was able to make many friends.
“It was easy for me to make friends, especially in band,” he said. “All of the people there are very nice.”
Husmann felt very wel comed and in volved at Maine South.
“I don’t miss my old school at all,” he said.
“The thought of going back to my Swiss school gives me goose bumps. Just kidding—it’s not that bad, but school here is much more relaxed.”
Husmann is not the only exchange student here at Maine South. French teacher Ms. Delehanty is doing an exchange program with her French classes. For a few weeks this fall, French exchange students will be coming to Maine South. Then in the spring, several Maine South students will have the opportunity to be an exchange students in France.
While some students are here for enriching experiences through
the war.
Sophomore Andriy Dyakiv’s journey started around six months ago. After the war hit Ukraine, Dyakiv wanted a way out.
“My father was here for a long time,” he said. “My sister went to college here and my mother was with her. In Ukraine, it was me and my grandmother.”
To add to the difficulties, Dyakiv’s grandmother was unable to get a visa, thus requiring Dyakiv to cross multiple foreign borders by himself.
The responsibility of a world wide travel is very difficult. He was expected to travel through multiple coun tries and states on his own and forced to leave his grandmoth er in Ukraine.
In order to arrive in the United States, he first needed to get to Poland, and once he landed, he took a flight to America.
Journeying to Poland was an entire experience in itself.
“The border in between Ukraine and Poland was insane,” he said. “There were hundreds of thousands of people waiting. Passing the border took me seven to eight hours.”
Park Ridge was Dyakiv’s final destination as his father originally lived in Chicago.
“My father and mother decided to come to Park Ridge because of my father’s friends [that live in Park Ridge]... and it’s a great area,” he said.
complicated by being a novice English speaker.
Although he was able to learn English through classes in Ukraine as well as video games, he still feels there is a huge language barrier.
“I notice it especially in English class when you have to read a chapter for homework and then explain what happened in the chapter to your classmates,” Dyakiv said.
Mastering a new language not only takes time, but patience. Between the rigor of school classes and adapting to a new language, time can be limited, especially if one chooses to get involved in school sports, activities, and clubs.
Besides learning in class, the language barrier also creates issues when making friends.
“You need to have good language skills, especially with how people talk to each other here with slang,” Dyakiv said.”
Although the language complicates things, the curriculum is not as difficult as it was at home.
“Here, learning is much different than in Ukraine,” he said. “In Ukraine we learned much harder things. We had 15 subjects, 7 to 8 classes every day for 45 minutes. We also have all sciences at once, Chemistry, Physics, and Biology,” Dyakiv said.
Despite the simpler curriculum compared to Dyakiv’s school in Ukraine, there are more options for extracurriculars and sports at Maine South. This variety of experiences provides opportunities for inclusivity to all students.
“I am in chess club, and for fun, I am a part of the E-Sports club with my friends,” Dyakiv said.
“Even though it’s my first time at this school, it’s not a bigger adjustment than changing from middle school to high school.”
- Jan Husmann (‘25)
Students who are new to the country must adapt to more than just curriculum in high school
The Maine South theater department has been preparing since August for this year’s fall play, “Our Town.” This show is renowned as one of the most famous plays in the world, however, it will be taking on a modern twist.
The “Our Town” cast and crew has been working hard to make the show interactive and connect the audience to the story.
“My character has to break the fourth wall a lot with the audience,” senior Finley Pullano, who plays the Stage Manager, said. “I get to use the aisles and the stairs and basically converse with the audience. I have never seen a play before where a character breaks the fourth wall as much as the Stage Manager.”
The cast will be sitting in auditorium seats alongside audience members for a majority of the show. A lot of the cast will use the aisles for entrances.
It is not common for the cast to be so close to the audience in Maine South’s productions. This decision was made to help the audience feel more connected to the story.
“Our Town” will also feature live music, including piano, violin, and choir, which is uncommon with productions of this show.
Pullano is excited to play such a complex and intriguing role that is unlike her previous characters.
“Stage Manager is very different since it’s not necessarily an established person in the story,” Pullano said. “They take on the role of telling the
story to the audience sort of like a narrator, and I have never had to do that before.”
The cast and crew have been working every day after school to get the show ready.
Student director Maren Nazar is excited by how quickly the rehearsal process is moving.
“We were able to run the whole show just two weeks into rehearsals, and I am very impressed by everyone for being able to do that,” Nazar said.
The Stage Crew has been busy planning and building a set that will make Grover’s Corners come to life on
stage. Typically, productions of “Our Town” don’t feature a set.
“Our production has a set, but it is very symbolic and nontraditional,” director Ms. Carrie Saurer said.
Senior Gigi Scarpelli, Assistant Technical Director for this show, has loved seeing all the work the crew has put in thus far.
“I know that lighting, props, sound, costumes, and construction are all working hard to create a set that combines the original setting in the early 1900s, and a way to relate the story to our modern world,” Scarpelli said.
This production is unique in combining elements and styles of the 1900’s with a modern twist, making it relatable to modern audiences.
Nazar believes that Our Town is a show that will make audiences think about their own life.
“In the world we’re living in today, it’s so easy to just walk though every day blindly,” she said. “This show is important because you will walk out of it feeling like a different person, and if you really pay attention, it will change the way you view your world, and the people in it.”
Mrs. Saurer played the Stage Manager in a production from her high school, and has loved the play ever since.
“This show is poignant and breathtaking because it seems so simple initially,” Ms. Saurer said, “The end of the play, however, takes a sharp turn that is certain to surprise our audiences.”
The show, written by Thornton Wilder, begins in 1901 and ends in 1913. It consists of three acts showcasing the themes of life, love, and death. The audience follows residents of Grover’s Corners, a small town in New Hampshire, as they live, love, and die.
“Our Town” runs Oct. 13, 14, and 15 in the Watson Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $7 at the door for students.
TELLING A STORY Senior Finley Pullano, the Stage Manager, recites the opening to “Our Town.” She lays the scene for the entire show through her narrations and acts as a connection between the cast and the audience. MIXING THINGS UP Junior Hana Brkic mixes together a brown base paint. This will give her a clean slate to paint many set pieces to look as though they are wood. PHOTO BY AVA MALATESTA PHOTO BY AVA MALATESTA
Lyn Brush Entertainment Writer
One month ago, the members of the Maine South Band were offered an exciting opportunity: the chance to play with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) at Ravinia on Aug. 21.
Initially, the CSO was planning to perform Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture,” a piece famous for including 16 cannon shots written into the music. However, in the wake of the Fourth of July shooting that took place in Highland Park, the CSO decided to remove the weaponry from the arrangement and instead looked to local high school percussionists as an alternative.
When the CSO contacted Highland Park High School percussion instructor Tom Benko about this opportunity and asked him to invite other high schools, Benko reached out to Maine South, where he was a former instructor.
The idea was for the cannon shots to be played instead by 40 bass drummers, giving an impressive booming effect in place of actual artillery. Fifteen Maine South students volunteered for this exciting opportunity.
The first order of business was to rehearse with the band; they only got to run through the piece once before the big performance. While this experience was very exciting for the performers, it was also stressful.
“We didn’t know what we were doing half the time,” sophomore Ryan Schoenstedt said.
“The rehearsal before, we were completely off,” sophomore Tori Stott added. “But then the concert came and it worked out.”
The students had to correct their mistakes
quickly in order to keep up with the professionals.
“I learned how professionals rehearse music… they learn their part, play it perfectly the first time in a run-through, and then perform it for 10,000 people a couple hours later,” Mr. David Hutter, the Maine South band director said. “There’s not as much rehearsal and cleaning things up like we experience in a scholastic setting.”
Due to the lack of preparation time before the performance, nerves were at an all time high, and not just for the students.
“It was by far the most scared I’ve ever been
conducting music,” Hutter said. “Not only because it was with the CSO, not only because there were 10,000 people watching, but because there were 40 bass drummers watching me, and it was my job to make sure they were in sync. It would be very, very obvious if one person was wrong.”
Overall, the experience at Ravinia was a success for all involved.
“I learned the importance of hard work, … and it really paid off because we were able to play with some of the best musicians in the Chicago land area,” Schoenstedt said. “It was truly a blast!”
Fall fashion is arguably the best perk of the season. Nothing beats the iconic sweater and jeans duo. If you’re going to bundle up, you might as well do it in style. The instrumentals of “Sweater Weather” by The Neighbourhood perfectly captures that cool breeze you experience while strolling outdoors on an autumn afternoon.
The opening theme song from the hit TV show “Gilmore Girls” will bring back the nostalgic feelings of fall and remind you of the leaf-covered title card that opens each episode. Carole King’s “Where You Lead, I Will Follow” is a great fall listen, and if you’re looking for a show to watch, check out the beloved 2000s drama “Gilmore Girls.”
Coming up on the oneyear anniversary of its highly-anticipated release, Taylor Swift’s “All Too Well (10-Minute Taylor’s Version)” is the perfect song to sing with your friends in the car. This go-to breakup song will get you in your fall feels in no time.
With October underway, spooky season here. Mac Demarco’s “Freaking Out the Neighborhood” encapsulates the feeling of fright we all experience around this time of year. Its instrumentals and lyrics are sure to awaken your Halloween spirit.
In the Spotify app, click the search icon at the bottom of the home page, then click the camera icon next to the search box to scan our QR code!
Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 classic “Dreams” combines soft airy vocals, light guitar, and a steady, soft percussive beat throughout. The song’s melancholy lyrics complement the season’s cool weather. Its tranquil feeling of nostalgia makes it a timeless fall classic.
“Campus” by Vampire Weekend sets the tone for the perfect school day. With its upbeat tempo and fun lyrics, listening to this song on the way to school or through the halls will instantly make you feel like the main character in a coming of age movie.
THE BEAT OF THEIR OWN DRUM Percussionists in the Maine South marching band perform the “1812 Overture” for 10,000 fans at Ravinia with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. The students imitated the booming effect of cannons using their instruments to avoid using actual weaponry.
n“All Too Well (10 Minute Taylor’s Version)” by Taylor Swift
“Where You Lead I Will Follow” by Carol KingMaggie Hershey, Caitlin Vengazo, & Maggie Woods Entertainment Editors “Sweater Weather” by The Neighbourhood “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac
This summer, fire blazed atop the historic Pickwick theater as Park Ridge residents watched, fascinated by the feigned flames.
The popular TV drama, “Chicago Fire,” took to the suburbs and chose Uptown Park Ridge as the set for an episode of their 11th season.
The show, an installment of NBC’s “One Chicago” franchise, follows fictional members of the Chicago Fire Department, with each episode showcasing a new incident.
According to Ms. Amy Tomlinson (‘08), a Maine South alumna and “Chicago Fire” Camera Production Assistant, this particular episode has been in the works for months.
“The writers start to ‘break’ the upcoming season of television in the summer, usually around June,” Tomlinson said.
We are unsure of the scene’s
context within the episode; however, Tomlinson was able to confirm that it will appear to take place in Chicago, not Park Ridge.
Some residents may have been confused as to why the show chose to film in Park Ridge. After all, parking and traffic were especially congested during the week of filming. Tomlinson explained that this is often an issue with their set locations.
“We rarely do work in the middle of a suburb’s downtown area,” she said.
In this situation, Park Ridge had the draw of its old-style movie theater, the Pickwick. This renowned building was the center of the flames and the location of a majority of the filming process.
Tomlinson credited this choice to the “old school art deco and the marquee” of its architecture.
“The crew felt very welcomed by
the town, when most neighborhoods in the city are tired of us taking up all their parking spaces,” Tomlinson said.
Freshmen Alexis Vengazo and Sydney Hollingsworth were able to observe the “burning” of the Pickwick. Both students were shocked at how realistic the fire appeared to be.
“If I didn’t know that they were filming and everything, then I would have thought it was real,” Vengazo said.
Hollingsworth agreed; without prior knowledge, she would have thought the fire was real. This realism is something the “Chicago Fire” crew strives for when they film on a set.
“The show prides itself on using actual fire 100% of the time with minimal visual effects,” Tomlinson said. “We have an incredible special effects team who work for weeks before the shoot designing and prepping to make sure everything is safe.”
Tomlinson was also able to shed a bit of light on the fire preparation process.
“The fires can be controlled using levels to make it go higher, lower, and
completely shut off,” Tomlinson said. “Level tests are done before rolling on any scene.”
While walking Uptown, Hollingsworth had the special opportunity to meet a “Chicago Fire” actor, David Eignberg.
“My friend and I had been walking around near the back of the Pickwick, and [Eignberg] was just out there… eating a burrito, and we asked for a photo,” she said.
The filming created a buzz throughout Park Ridge, and despite being on its 11th season, many residents gained a new interest in the show after it took over Uptown for a week.
“When I found out they were [filming in Park Ridge], I started to watch ‘Chicago Fire’ right away, and I am now on season five,” Vengazo said.
The new season of “Chicago Fire” premiered on NBC on Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 9:00 p.m. The episode featuring the Pickwick will air on Oct. 26 at 9:00 p.m. The show will also be available to watch on certain streaming services, such as “Peacock” and “Hulu +.”
PICKWICK ABLAZE Park Ridge residents watched as the historic Pickwick Theatre lit up in flames this summer during the filming of an upcoming episode of “Chicago Fire.” Many people passing by believed the Pickwick was actually on fire. SELFIE ON SET Freshmen Sydney Hollingsworth (left) and Maya Davis (right) were lucky enough to snap a selfie with “Chicago Fire” actor David Eignberg (center). The girls asked for a picture while he was on a break eating a burrito.Park Ridge’s historic Pickwick Theater serves as the set of ‘Chicago Fire’ for an upcoming episodePHOTO PHOTO COURTESY SYDNEY HOLLINGSWORTH
The boys’ varsity golf season has begun very strong this fall. They recently beat New Trier, on Aug. 30, and set their current season record of 149 strokes. The team is 3-2 in conference and 2-1 in non-conference play.
The only consistent challenge they have faced has been the absence of lockers to keep their equipment in. Without the luxury of official storage facilities, the golfers are forced to store their clubs
somewhere else, such as a friend’s car or at home.
The half-hour drive to practice every day can be difficult—especially for people without reliable transportation, but, as Coach Adam Kwiatkoski said, “the golf is not affected.”
Coach Kwiatkoski is entering his second year coaching the varsity squad. He called the team, which is led by seven seniors, “a great group.”
“We are looking forward to competing at Regionals on Sept. 28 and hope to advance to Sectionals as a team,” Coach Kwiatkoski said.
At Regionals, the team will be up against some
of the top teams in the state, including 2021 State Champions, Glenbrook North.
“Our top competitor will be Notre Dame College Prep; they have also had a very good season,” sophomore Adam Drabek said.
If the Hawks make it to Sectionals on Oct. 3, they need to place third or better to qualify for the state tournament. Each sectional’s top 10 players are also invited to State on Oct. 8.
“We are confident that we can reach State, hopefully as a team, but we should have some solos at State,” Drabek said.
With the start of the new season, the girls’ swim and dive team took on a new challenge this year. With the construction of the athletic wing just beginning, the pool is far from complete.
As a result, all practices have to be held at Maine West. This creates a number of obstacles including practice schedules and transportation.
Unlike other sports at Maine South, the swim and dive team practices can begin between 5-7 p.m. and finish as late as 9:30 p.m. These varying late hours are not preferred by members of the swim and dive team.
“It’s more difficult to work harder in practice when they are so late at night after facing a whole school day,” sophomore Jenna Pearl, a member of the varsity girls’ swim and dive team, said. “It’s also harder to find time to do homework because when you’re not practicing you are taking time out driving to Maine West every day.”
The inconvenience of the construction is taking a toll on the team. Athletes have less time to focus on their school work, which at times can affect their academic performance.
Swim practice takes up most of their time after
school, forcing athletes to spend more time on homework later in the evening and get less sleep at night.
Another challenge for the swim and dive team is the absence of home meets for the entire season.
“It’s hard going to meets and having very few spectators cheering you on,” sophomore Elizabeth Drakontaidis said. “Last year at meets we had lots of spectators cheering the team on at home games. That helped bring good spirits to everyone swimming. This year, with no one cheering us on, it’s harder and does not feel like a normal season. I especially feel bad for the seniors, since it is their last year and they never get to swim a meet at home their senior year.”
Despite all of these negatives, there are some positives that come out of the construction of the athletic wing.
The pool most certainly needed to be updated. The facilities, like the rest of the school before the construction, were outdated.
Even with the inconveniences the swim and dive team faces, they are still ecstatic to see the new facilities.
“I am so excited to use the new pool next year,” sophomore Kristyna Kubisova said. “The new pool
will be bigger for diving and make swimming much more enjoyable.”
The new pool will help the swim team train to be as successful as they can be. It was hard to accomplish that goal with the small, old facility that the swim team grew out of.
“I hope that the new pool comes with more swimming lanes because Maine West’s pool has more lanes, which makes swimming easier when you have so many people on the team,” Pearl said.
These challenges have not impeded the performance of the swim and dive team this year.
On Sept. 10, they placed second at the Waubonsie Valley meet.
At this meet, the team set meet records in three different events: the 4 x 100-yard IM relay with senior Chloe Bai and freshmen Kendall Bai, Amelia Aguila, and Maeve Przekota; the 200-yard breaststroke relay with Bai, Przekota, senior Anna Wilkowski, and freshman Sarah Juris; and the 400-yard free relay with Juiris, Aguila, Kendall Bai, and Przekota.
Though much of the season is complete, there are important events on the horizon.
“I’m really looking forward to Hawk Relays and I’m exited for Conference,” junior Mia Jolineau said.
Sports Writers HAWKS WIN! The varsity boys’ golf team poses after defeating 2021 State Runners-up New Trier by a score of 149-154 on Aug. 30. The Hawks finished conference play with a winning record of 3-2.Writer
This year, the boys’ cross country team has had an impressive run of success to start their season. The team has earned victories over top-ranked teams such as New Trier (#6 in Illinois), Lyons (#10), and Sandburg (#18), as well as conference opponents Glenbrook South and Evanston.
Coach Greg Nordahl has high expectations for this year’s group going forward.
“We plan on competing to win the Conference championship, the Regional championship, and to bring home the first Sectional title in school history, and to compete for a top ten finish in the State meet,” Mr. Nordahl said. “Maybe bring home a 3A trophy if things go well.”
The team was undefeated at press time, having brought home first place at every meet so far this season.
With the State Finals approaching, the boys are trying to block out any outside pressure. As the stakes start to rise, the team has relied on two
central messages to help push and motivate them.
“The only thing you can control in a race or in life is you, and pay attention to the little things,” says Nordahl.
These mottos seem to be effective as the team is continuing to meet the high expectations from preseason rankings. The boys’ cross country team will run next in the Peoria High School Invite on Oct. 1.
The girls’ tennis team had one of the highest turnouts at tryouts in the sport’s history this fall with over 70 girls showing up to tryouts.
Varsity girls’ tennis coach Mr. Gerald Smith has been the head of the program for almost a decade, and in that time, he has seen the number of girls trying out each fall rise about 50%.
This trend is not unique to tennis. Sports that were historically low-cut or no-cut, such as golf and volleyball, are seeing a greater number of students at tryouts each year.
It is unclear what has been the catalyst for this trend, but Coach Smith believes, at least in the case of his tennis program, that it is in large part due to high praise from former players.
“A lot of the players have enjoyed themselves and enjoyed their time with this team, and they’re passing it along to other families and people with younger siblings,” he said.
The added number of students at tryouts added to the pressure.
“Tryouts were not too competitive, but it was still a bit stressful because of the number of people trying out,” sophomore Selah Kim said.
To compensate for the increased interest in the girls’ tennis program,
Coach Smith has assembled a third tennis team. In addition to the traditional JV and varsity groups, there is now a “JV2.” This is the first year a third team has been rostered, and it comes with its own set of new challenges.
“The additional number of players have affected the organization and rosters,” Kim said. “It’s a little confusing whether you’re playing or not.”
After the dust from tryouts had settled, the girls moved into
conference play. Competing in the Central Suburban League, possibly the most competitive conference in the state, the team had a challenging run of matches ahead of them.
In addition to a tough schedule, there were also several positions to be filled on the varsity squad following a senior-heavy team last fall. Thus, the team struggled through some of their opening matches as they gained invaluable experience against formidable opponents.
The girls improved quickly,
however, and prevailed in hardfought matches against Evanston and Prospect. Over the first weekend of September, the team took their annual two-day trip to Southern Illinois for the Edwardsville Invite. Their wins against two strong Peoria and Morton teams in Edwardsville were further proof of how much progress this team has made.
The team is now turning their attention to their post-season tournaments, namely Conference and Sectionals. They are aiming to place top four in their sectional, which would guarantee the Hawks a place at the state final tournament in Buffalo Grove. They will be up against a number of very strong teams including Glenbrook North, Glenbrook South, Deerfield, and Highland Park.
Coach Smith knows that Sectionals will be a challenge, but he believes the team’s resilience could very well push them over the edge.
“The cohesiveness of the team, especially being such a big group, has been more than I ever would have expected,” he said
With the playoffs hanging in the balance, a successful team is going to have to offer something beyond just talent. The added competition will help the girls’ tennis team work harder this season.
DYNAMIC DUO Senior Kate Fogel (left) and Laura Milewska (right) await their opponent’s serve. The girls’ tennis team won against New Trier on Sept. 20.
STAYING AHEAD OF THE COMPETITION Seniors Luca Arcuri (first), Joey Karlesky (second), and Luke Pravecek (third) lead the pack at their meet on Sept. 13 at Evanston. The boys continued their streak of victories at the meet.
PHOTO BY HAYDEN MAGAD
PHOTO BY NATALIA KOWALEWSKA
The football team has faced some difficult competition early in the season, losing close games against seventh-ranked Warren, and eleventhranked Prospect. The Hawks then bounced back against conference opponent Glenbrook North in convincing fashion on homecoming night, 43-0.
This season follows a state championship run last fall, where the Hawks unfortunately lost in the State Final to the Lockport Porters. The varsity squad also graduated a number of seniors last spring, meaning that many of this year’s starters are only starting to gain experience at the varsity level.
Much of the team, including junior Jakub Kieta, look on the State Final loss as motivation coming into this season.
“It was just adding gas to our fire,” Kieta said. “We’re ready to roll, so we are just going to keep doing what we’re doing.”
In addition to the championship defeat, the Hawks feel they have something to prove after falling short in two of their opening four games. The home defeat against Prospect on Sept. 15 particularly stung for the boys, especially after they lost on a two-point conversion in the game’s final seconds.
There were a number of positives that came out of the defeat. Junior Jack Defilippis led the team to a seven-point lead in the fourth quarter after trailing by 14 points earlier in the game.
On Sept. 2, Defilippis had to step into the starting quarterback position, following an arm injury to senior quarterback Ryan Leyden in the defeat against Warren Township.
The close games against Warren Township and Prospect have taught the Hawks a lot about where
they need to improve, more so than the easy wins against Stevenson and Barrington.
As the season heads towards the playoffs, the Hawks will be focusing on each game individually. The adversity that the team has faced early in the season may very well leave them more prepared for close playoff games, and has only strengthened their resolve.
“We are going back [to State]—we’re bringing it home,” Kieta said.
Thomas Hurley Sports Editor
As the fall sports get into full swing, Maine South students may have noticed some changes regarding sporting events. At football games, only clear bags are permitted and items that could be considered potential weapons are prevented from entering the stands.
“Our focus is always on encouraging positive behavior and making that the priority for students,” associate principal Mr. Michael Edwards said. “We made sure to prioritize safety for all, limiting objects that can be used as projectiles or weapons and making sure we can effectively search bags by limiting the size of them and making sure they are clear.”
There were some questions asked about the clear bag policy, but fans were, for the most part, compliant.
“The students were all polite and sought a better understanding of the changes,” he said. “At the gates we have not seen many issues at all.”
During the game, the student section is especially fun, en ergetic, and lively. However, the admin istration has seen on occasion problems arising in the crowd.
“We know that all of our Hawks are capable of being supportive of our athletes without negative comments or
chants,” Mr. Edwards said. “We have also added staff to stay in the student section to closely monitor behavior.”
According to Edwards, these updates to policy at events have been beneficial.
“I believe that the clear bags have allowed us to more effectively limit pro jectiles,” he said. Ad ditionally, the clear communication prior to games about the school's expectations has led to improved behavior so far this season.
The enforcement of the guidelines are further aided by Hawk Nation and Student Council, who use social media
as promotion for expected behavior.
Besides the new rules for sporting events, the athletic department has also aimed to remind the Maine South student body of the 24/7 policy for student-athletes. This is a general rule for participants in any sport in regards to off-field behavior. Violations of the student-athlete policy could warrant temporary or permanent removal from extracurricular activities.
Although no changes have been made to the policy, Mr. Edwards said that there is a district-wide effort to make the rules clearer.
“Our interest in updating the policy is to make it as clear as possible so there are fewer questions and conflicts when applying the policy in the event of prohibited conduct,” he said.
“ We know that all of our Hawks are capable of being supportive of our athletes without negative comments or chants.”
- Mr. Mike EdwardsREACHING FOR SUCCESS Senior Ryan Pothast (left) scores a touchdown with a one-handed catch during the second quarter of the Prospect game on Sept. 15. The Hawks lost 42-41 after a Prospect 2-point conversion in the last minute. PHOTO BY MARY MCCAW SWIM & DIVE GIRLS’ TENNIS